Keshi, Amodu: Reps want Nigeria’s football icons immortalized

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a motion urging the Federal Government to immortalize late football icons, Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shuaibu, for their services to the nation.

The House also mandated its committee on Sports to liaise with the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, to ensure the immediate payment of the entitlements due to families late Messrs. Keshi and Shuaibu.

The decision, according to the lawmakers, would encourage other Nigerians to give their best to the development of the country.

The resolutions were adopted following a motion on matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Samuel Onuigbo.

While describing the death of the two sports icons as a “huge loss to the country and their families”, Mr. Onuigbo said that Keshi and Shuaibu served Nigeria meritoriously.

He expressed disappointment that the late Shuaibu was owed arrears of salaries and entitlements by the Federal Government and the Edo State Government.

“These iconic Nigerians exercised leadership in football administration and impacted positively on the nation and on the world in ways that their outstanding accomplishment brought happiness to Nigerians,” Mr. Onuigbo said.

“These icons died at a time that football in the country is taking a nosedive.”

The House adopted the motion after the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, put it to a voice vote.

In another development, the House mandated its committee on Agricultural Production and Services to investigate the increase in the prices of fertiliser in the country.

The decision was taken based on a motion on matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Odebunmi Olusegun.

He argued that the former administration made fertiliser accessible through the Growth Enhancement Scheme, GES, and brought transparency and eliminated middle men in the distribution of the product.

“The success of the GES metamorphosed into greater output from the agricultural sector as fertilisers were available and sold for between N3000 and N3500,” he said.

He stressed that agriculture is one of the potent ways of diversifying the economy of the country and avert the looming famine.

The lawmaker insisted that if the high cost of the product is not checked, there would be a concomitant effect on yield which would in turn cause a serious macro-economic crisis .